No Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD for PS3 owners? -- kind of

When the PS3 hit the street it was recognized as one of the most full featured Blu-ray players to date, but it seem now that PS3 owners aren't getting everything they thought they were. It has recently been uncovered that although the PS3 does have an HDMI 1.3 port, the software does not support bit stream audio. What this means for Blu-ray fans is that when they finally pick up one of those new Onkyo receivers with HDMI 1.3, that they still can't enjoy Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD because there is no way to get the bits out of the PS3. Of course the DTS track can still be down mixed and PCM audio is supported, but so much for being the most capable Blu-ray player available.

** Dolby TrueHD can still be decoded inside the PS3 and sent as uncompressed audio to the AV receiver, but if the AV receiver has an integrated decoder it can't be used instead of the PS3's decoder. **

** This was confirmed by a Sony representative.**

[zombieflanders @ May 8th 2007 10:40AM]

Please, do some research before you post something like this. The PS3 can decode TrueHD into PCM now, and is expected to do so for DTS:MA as well. It's right there in the article you linked to.

[Ben @ May 8th 2007 11:54AM]

I updated the post to reflect the fact that decoding can still be done inside the PS3.

Thanks for the correction.

[Mak @ May 8th 2007 11:02AM]

Not sure where you got your PS3 from, but mine decodes TrueHD just fine... It decodes it onboard.

You need to check your facts before you post Xbot rants...

[Phour ZwanZig @ May 8th 2007 11:09AM]

If im understanding correctly.. It doesnt send the TrueHD data thru HDMI, and it converts the audio b4 it sends it out.. There for you end up with something other than TrueHD hittin device or in this case a receiver than can decode TrueHD..

[Dominic @ May 8th 2007 11:13AM]

There's a Dolby TrueHD logo on the side of my PS3

[iywuas @ May 8th 2007 11:31AM]

It is as the first poster said ... and not only that, in certain modes the standard *requires* that the decoding be done in the player and sent to the AVR/prepro/whatever, as the PS3 does. So noone *can* do better than this. The only (currently) missing piece is that they don't yet decode DTS:MA. Your reporting (in this fashion) on this story is a disservice to the community.

[Jiffylush @ May 8th 2007 11:15AM]

This 'news' is completely based on postings at AVSforums.

This formatwarcentral.com has been a blog for all of 4 days.

Why not link directly to the posts at AVS instead of some unknown resource?

Here is the post that is linked in the 'article' http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=10472305&&#post10472305

Do some research please, if you want to be considered a news site then you need to at least read the stuff you post and try to determing its source.

[Mike @ May 8th 2007 11:19AM]

Excuse me.. What is this writer talking about? He should have his facts checked. I don't know what did he take to "uncover recently" this thing :D Does this site have ANY credibility?

[JET @ May 8th 2007 11:21AM]

Erm, huh? PS3 supports both bitstream and linear PCM across the HDMI cable. Right now it plays TrueHD by decoding the signal internally and sending it along as PCM audio, although I suspect it'll send the native TrueHD signal along to a compliant 1.3 receiver (like the new Onkyo TX-SR605).

Still waiting for DTS HD-MA support, though (along with the rest of the high def world). It was rumored to hit in March, but no sign as of yet...

JET

[Mak @ May 8th 2007 11:39AM]

Ben Drawbaugh == Xbot

[Dave Lynch @ May 8th 2007 12:04PM]

The article is PLAIN misleading and a troll, swallow your pride and just take it down.

[Tubal @ May 8th 2007 12:31PM]

Wow. There goes my faith in engadget.

[Alex @ May 8th 2007 12:12PM]

Ben showed his true colors, he is an HD DVD convert!!!!

[Mak @ May 8th 2007 12:27PM]

Engadget showing themselves as the clueless newbies they really are...

Why should anyone believe anything this site (or it's sister sites) offer up as "news"....

The fact this article has not been withdrawn, despite having no factual basis at all (the PS3 does both TrueHD decoding onboard and can also send bitstream and unencoded TrueHD down the HDMI)..

In a way, I kinda like this article to remain, so we can watch the rest of the gutter press simply copy and paste the news, without bothing to check any facts. Then the whole internet gutter "news" blogs will be very red faced, when the truth emerges.

[Mak @ May 8th 2007 12:51PM]

Engadget showing themselves as the clueless newbies they really are...

Why should anyone believe anything this site (or it's sister sites) offer up as "news"....

The fact this article has not been withdrawn, despite having no factual basis at all (the PS3 does both TrueHD decoding onboard and can also send bitstream and unencoded TrueHD down the HDMI)..

In a way, I kinda like this article to remain, so we can watch the rest of the gutter press simply copy and paste the news, without bothing to check any facts. Then the whole internet gutter "news" blogs will be very red faced, when the truth emerges.

[Keith @ May 8th 2007 12:57PM]

The title of the article is still not corrected. This post should either be deleted or updated.

[Jonathan S @ May 8th 2007 12:33PM]

You guys know that in the future, the XBOX will have a BD drive, or an HD drive . . .they can do either, and I'm sure they will.

They can currently produce the Xbox for $500 less than the PS3 according to iSuppli.

PS3 is dead - Xbox can add a BD drive, and lower their price by $100 . . . then the only thing the magical cell system has over Xbox is HDMI 1.3 . . oh the horrors, that third speaker over my left and right ear might not have distinct 2 channel audio . . .

wankers.

[walk2k @ May 8th 2007 12:59PM]

Neither TrueHD nor DTS-HD support are required for Blu-ray Disc players. (TrueHD is required for HD-DVD, but DTS-HD is not.)

The HDMI 1.3 port on the PS3 is *capable* of bitstream support for both codecs, otherwise it couldn't be certified as 1.3 - but actual support by the player is *not* required.

[gamerxtra @ May 8th 2007 1:28PM]

please Ben, show the internet commun' that you are responsible in your reporting and remove this article, my ps3 does all of the things you say it doesnt in this article, please ben please, remove these lies.

[Ben @ May 8th 2007 1:59PM]

As much as I would love to, I can't remove this post.

While it seems that there is a difference in opinion with the bit stream capabilities of the PS3, until someone actually tries it, the fuctionality will be in dispute.

If you believe that the PS3 can do this despite what others think, than please post as such, but if you haven't actually tested it yourself, how can you really know?

And of course I feel like an idiot that I forgot that the PS3 had TrueHD decoding built in, but that still does not change the point of the story, which is whether or not the PS3 does support all the features of HDMI 1.3, namely bit stream audio.

[Mak @ May 8th 2007 1:34PM]

Just checked my settings. I have 2 audio settings that are related here.

1/ Digitial Output (HDMI).
I can set Bitstream and Linerar PCM

2/ Digitial Output (Optical).
I can set Bitstream and Linear PCM

You can see here:

http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/settings/index_bdsettings.html

[WiFiSpy @ May 8th 2007 1:35PM]

his was posted by Paidgeek (Sony Insider) over at AVS:



Originally Posted by paidgeek
Sorry for the delayed response.

The PS3 does not pass advanced codecs over HDMI except for Dolby THD after decoding to PCM. I don't know if this feature will be added in the future. I fully understand why members are concerned about this, but as far as I am concerned, decoding in the player to LPCM gives us the most flexibility while maintaining sound quality.

[Mak @ May 8th 2007 2:07PM]

Since when has guilty until proven innocent been the norm? Oh, since it applies to PS3, that's when...

Let's start any old rumour and until it's proven false, lets assume it's true...

How about: Xbox360 is about to get a Blu-Ray addon? Microsoft execs in talks with Pioneer Japan to supply Blu-Ray addon drives for the 360...

[pete @ May 8th 2007 2:20PM]

shinanegins i call!!!!!!!!!11111one c'mon engagetedhd your pretty much on the ball most of the time.

whats really going on!

and i agree with mak on this one, check and mate mr. ben drawbaugh, if that is your real name.

[bfdtv @ May 8th 2007 2:33PM]

Over on the AVS Forum, a Sony representative CONFIRMED that the CURRENT PS3 firmware will not pass DTS-HD MA or TrueHD bitstreams to a HDMI 1.3 receiver for decoding. That is FACT.

Of course, the PS3 will decode a TrueHD bitstream and output it as LPCM via HDMI to a receiver. But the PS3 will not decode DTS-HD MA. The Sony representative on AVS has said SCEI is looking into the possibility of DTS-HD MA decoding on the PS3, but has no firm plans for it at this time.

If you were hoping to experience the DTS-HD MA tracks with one of the new Onkyo HDMI 1.3 receivers coming in May, then you are out of luck, because there currently exists no way to get that bitstream to the receiver for decoding. The current PS3 software won't do it, and there is no timetable for when it might -- according to Sony.

The Engadget article is completely right, although I would have phrased it differently. The PS3 will not pass undecoded TrueHD or DTS-HD MA bitstreams to a HDMI 1.3 receiver for decoding.

[bfdtv @ May 8th 2007 2:42PM]

Ben,

If you can edit the article, rephrase it as follows:

"When the PS3 hit the street it was recognized as one of the most full-featured Blu-ray players to date, but it seem now that PS3 owners aren't getting everything they thought they were. Although the PS3 has HDMI 1.3 hardware, it turns out that the current software on the PS3 doesn't actually support HDMI 1.3 functionality. With the current firmware, the PS3 functions as a HDMI 1.2 device.

This is disappointing to fans who planned to buy one of the new HDMI 1.3 receivers with DTS-HD MA and TrueHD decoding. Many were expecting to connect their PS3 to such a receiver to finally experience 24-bit, 48kHZ master audio on FOX titles with DTS-HD MA. Unfortunately, the ability to pass DTS-HD MA and TrueHD bitstreams is a HDMI 1.3 feature, and it is a feature the current software on the PS3 does not support.

After confirming the above, a Sony representative did say that SCEI is looking into the possibility of adding DTS-HD MA decoding to the PS3, but has no firm plans for it at this time."

[Mak @ May 8th 2007 2:43PM]

This is ALSO BS, as PS3 supports HDMI features like Deep Colour, so saying that the PS3 functions as a HDMI 1.2 player is also untrue.

Can anyone point to a player than CAN do these things that you lot are b1tching about? If not, then the PS3 is still the top dog next-gen player out there...

[Ben @ May 8th 2007 2:43PM]

I can't do that much editing, but I did update the post again in an attempt to make it more accurate.

Thanks

[Dk @ May 8th 2007 2:47PM]

This used to be a better website to visit. I would log in on the pacific coast mornings or around noon and find a healthy dose of current hdtv news, hdtv listings posted early in the day so i could see if there was anything to watch at night before leaving the house for the day, and a decent podcast every once in a while. Now i am guessing you guys take home a pretty decent paycheck from the operating the site so what is the lack of motivation here? From listening to your podcasts we already know none of you are technology geniuses but you still owe it to put in some better effort with your articles and the rest of the content or I will stop visiting. Also do you not think it is important to mention whether or not the PS3 can send decoded LPCM up to 7.1 channels? Or what is really the reason behind your news article..

[Chris @ May 8th 2007 2:58PM]

The Nine Inch Nails Live: Beside You in Time title in Blu-Ray has a Dolby True HD Track. What happens when the bitstream is selected in HDMI out audio settings?

Anyone? I just want the triple truth Ruth!

[Jonathan S @ May 8th 2007 3:09PM]

Hurry PS3 fanboys! Defend your crappy system!

If only sony loved you as much as you love them . . .

[Mak @ May 8th 2007 3:34PM]

WARNING: XBot alert....

Don't believe everything you read, especially Xbox forums, or Engadget/Joystiq...

[bfdtv @ May 8th 2007 3:14PM]

"This is ALSO BS, as PS3 supports HDMI features like Deep Colour, so saying that the PS3 functions as a HDMI 1.2 player is also untrue."

Sorry, but no. Deep color is another feature that must be supported in software. Get yourself a HDMI 1.3 display with an on-screen display of the input color space. You'll find that there is no deep color output on Blu-ray disks and games with firmware 1.7. I suppose it is -possible- that deep color output mode is only enabled on content that actually uses it, but there is really no way to confirm that, until a game is released that advertises deep color support. Once that happens, we can check whether the PS3 is actually sending a deep color signal on that game through HDMI.

"The Nine Inch Nails Live: Beside You in Time title in Blu-Ray has a Dolby True HD Track. What happens when the bitstream is selected in HDMI out audio settings?"When you choose HDMI bitstream output on the PS3, it outputs the Dolby Digital 5.1 track. The Blu-ray specification requires that every TrueHD title include a DD5.1 track for backward compatibility, and that is all you get when you set the PS3 to output bitstream, even with a HDMI 1.3 receiver.

[Chris @ May 8th 2007 3:42PM]

So the playstation 3 is NOT sending out the Dolby True HD track untouched?

[Jonathan S @ May 8th 2007 3:44PM]

Nice Mak - that's a good warning . . way to refute the statements from bfdt. Sounds like you've given up.

so no one wants to take on:
bfdtv @ May 8th 2007 3:14PM
"This is ALSO BS, as PS3 supports HDMI features like Deep Colour, so saying that the PS3 functions as a HDMI 1.2 player is also untrue."

Sorry, but no. Deep color is another feature that must be supported in software. Get yourself a HDMI 1.3 display with an on-screen display of the input color space. You'll find that there is no deep color output on Blu-ray disks and games with firmware 1.7. I suppose it is -possible- that deep color output mode is only enabled on content that actually uses it, but there is really no way to confirm that, until a game is released that advertises deep color support. Once that happens, we can check whether the PS3 is actually sending a deep color signal on that game through HDMI.

"The Nine Inch Nails Live: Beside You in Time title in Blu-Ray has a Dolby True HD Track. What happens when the bitstream is selected in HDMI out audio settings?"When you choose HDMI bitstream output on the PS3, it outputs the Dolby Digital 5.1 track. The Blu-ray specification requires that every TrueHD title include a DD5.1 track for backward compatibility, and that is all you get when you set the PS3 to output bitstream, even with a HDMI 1.3 receiver.


with any facts?

PS3 sucks - case in point.

Doesn't it urk you guys that all the cross-platform games look the exact same on the 360?

that would urk me.

oh well, back to Gears of War. . . enjoy FEAR ps3ers . . although I hear the FPS drop pretty low at times - I guess during those times you could just look at your PS3 and say "man . . . that's ugly" . . .

[Morgyn @ May 14th 2007 2:39PM]

Its /I/rk.

I own both a 360 and a PS3, every game I've tried so far looks better on the ps3.

Enjoy your rampant fanboy-ism.

[Stewie @ May 8th 2007 3:44PM]

BS my PS3 says Dolby True HD on the side right next to Super Audio CD logo. I guess this Ben guy must have reached into Toshiba's pocket.

[QAtester @ May 8th 2007 3:56PM]

Dolby Official Website Says PS3 Does Support Dolby TrueHD

drtysouf21 - contributor
Published: 59 minutes ago | News | PlayStation 3
Info Report
19
PLAYSTATION 3 does feature interactive Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound for games, Dolby Digital, and Dolby TrueHD for decoding up to 7.1 channels for Blu-ray movie playback.

PLAYSTATION 3 represents the next chapter of gaming and entertainment," said Izumi Kawanishi, Corporate Executive and Senior Vice President of Software Platform Development Division, SCEI. "Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital 5.1 complement the tremendous innovations delivered through PLAYSTATION 3, which offers the best possible high-definition entertainment experience."


http://investor.dolby.com/ReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=211947

Jonathan S will you be stroking my trouser snake now or later?

[Jonathan S @ May 8th 2007 4:12PM]

Oh wow - someone with a greater than 10 IQ who owns a PS3 and can say something other than "Whatever Xbot!!"

I never completely disputed the ability of the all powerful PS3 and it's horribly small user base, in regards to the HDMI 1.3 output. I just wanted to see someone post facts, as opposed to "WARNING: XBot alert...."

As for this whole issue? who freaking gives a rats ass, if they have an extra speaker in their house. Frankly, I'd rather have sex with my wife - but if all I was interested in was where I could put my 16th speaker in my theatre room, I wouldn't have a wife.

And you know what else? The $300 I saved by buying an Xbox - went to my wife. I guess for all you PS3 losers who don't have wives, or have their guy partners, you don't have to worry about saving money for loved ones.

Otherwise PS3'ers, keep bending over forward, and taking it from Sony. They just crammed BD up there, let's see what else they can get in there. . . ooohh maybe one day you'll have a vibrating controller again!

[QAtester @ May 8th 2007 3:56PM]

http://investor.dolby.com/ReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=211947

Dolby Official Website Says PS3 Does Support Dolby TrueHD

drtysouf21 - contributor
Published: 59 minutes ago | News | PlayStation 3
Info Report
19
PLAYSTATION 3 does feature interactive Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound for games, Dolby Digital, and Dolby TrueHD for decoding up to 7.1 channels for Blu-ray movie playback.

PLAYSTATION 3 represents the next chapter of gaming and entertainment," said Izumi Kawanishi, Corporate Executive and Senior Vice President of Software Platform Development Division, SCEI. "Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital 5.1 complement the tremendous innovations delivered through PLAYSTATION 3, which offers the best possible high-definition entertainment experience."

[Mak @ May 8th 2007 4:21PM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inferiority_complex

[TheGuy @ May 8th 2007 4:30PM]

Hmm...so Microsoft creates the 360 with hardware that has a high failure rate (brick/red ring of death), nickel and dime customers with XBOX LIVE and overpriced proprietory accessories/peripherals, don't include a hard drive with their cheapest SKU limiting what game developers can do with games for the 360, and squeeze games on last-gen optical drive (DVD), and according to your logic its PS3 users that are getting shafted. Nice try. Enjoy Halo 3, because 360 games wont get much better than that.

[QAtester @ May 8th 2007 4:17PM]

Yeah good one JonathanS..

Way to make yourself look like an idiot and then backtrack, all while bringing your wife into this equation. Yes JonathanS, you are the only person who owns an xbox with a wife/girlfriend. High five dude.

[Jonathan S @ May 8th 2007 4:20PM]

I didn't backtrack at all - my words appear above for all to read, and there is no backtrack in them at all. And so therefore I take back the 10 IQ I thought you had.

As for your high 5 - thanks?

[QAtester @ May 8th 2007 4:25PM]

He is a little hostile isn't he? You must be a fun person to hang out with. Your comments concerning what the PS3 can and can't do have been nullified, and yet you continue to blabber. Calm down a bit, if you've got a wife then you must be in your late 20's -30's... at that age to come on some website and argue over a game system is pretty trivial and childish, especially with the comments you're making.

[Jonathan S @ May 8th 2007 4:43PM]

No, but it's pretty darn fun. And it beats working.

I just desire to see the PS3 fall flat on its face, and fail worse than the dreamcast (that failed right?).

Why? you ask, do I want PS3 to fall flat on its face?
1. Sony cramming BD down your throat. Sure, I've heard it all before "games require this much space" "lair is 50GBs" - You know - Gears of war fits on one DVD - you show me a better GAME than GOW, and I'll think 50GB for a game is not just a marketing ploy. How big a game is does not determine how good it is, and putting that much more pressure on a game developer just seems crazy and shows lack of insight.
2. Sony games are $10 more - again because the costs to produce them are 5X as much as an Xbox. . . yet then you get the games, and they suck. REsistance's highest rating I've seen is what, 8.6 out of 10? GOW is 9.6 because it rocks more than I can possibly explain. You paid $300 more for a system that can't and doesn't give you better games than the Xbox - I'd be mad at Sony if I were you.
3. Sony is trying to buy its way into the BD market, and you PS3 owners are their grunts. You are the ones that are getting this expensive technology out there that costs more to produce, more to manufacture, more to initially burn. Without PS3 BD had no chance whatsoever - therefore you can only question what stupid scheme you've been conned into - all by Sony execs.

So in reality - I don't really care who wins this because MS has already garnered enough market share to get all the good titles first in the future. What I really care about it pointing out to you guys that any rational look at your PS3 purchase is based entirely upon Fanboy thought processes, and not at all upon good old facts.

And I really like my Xbox and its integration into my network at home, and Media Center PC.

Can't wait till I can get IPTV going through it and I can get rid of my DVR.

Otherwise - I was just being funny with all the personal things I said. I was laughing at least. . .

[pnorth @ May 8th 2007 4:28PM]

Touche Jonathon, I'd rather have sex with your wife too LOL. However I do love the defensive posture of all the replies to be amazingly funny. Got to love fanboy rants ps3 or 360 kids. It's like someone just accused their mom of being a whore. Gotta love it.

[bfdtv @ May 8th 2007 4:59PM]

"So the playstation 3 is NOT sending out the Dolby True HD track untouched?"

Correct, it will not do that.

"BS my PS3 says Dolby True HD on the side right next to Super Audio CD logo. I guess this Ben guy must have reached into Toshiba's pocket."

You misunderstand the news post. The PS3 will decode Dolby TrueHD (but not DTS-HD MA) content into multichannel LPCM, which it will then output over HDMI. However, the PS3 will not output the TrueHD bitstream to a separate HDMI 1.3 receiver for decoding. Since the PS3 will decode TrueHD internally, the inability to output the original bitstream to a HDMI 1.3 receiver isn't a big deal. However, the PS3 will not decode DTS-HD MA bitstreams, so the inability to output that bitstream to a separate HDMI 1.3 receiver for decoding is a more serious issue.

There are currently just 2-3 Blu-ray titles with TrueHD, while there are around 30 titles with DTS-HD MA.

Note that none of the limitations discussed in this thread relate to the PS3 hardware. These are all limitations of the current PS3 software. Sony continues to update and improve their software with every passing month. Chances are that the PS3 software available one year from now will be significantly improved over what we have today.

[TheGuy @ May 8th 2007 5:04PM]

1. No...Sony wasn't cramming BD down our throats, they were making the PS3 a true "next-gen" console. Remember the jump from CD in the PSOne to DVD in the PS2? Sony is doing the same thing now, taking the console fully next-gen. GOW may be better than Resistance, but don't forget that Rfom is a launch game while GOW isn't. If you compare Resistance to any of the 360s launch games you'll see it's considerably better. As for GOW, it may be a good game overall but it is lacking in content, especially in single-player.

2. Since when are 360 games cheaper than PS3 games? Resistance and GOW cost the same where I live. Also, if you happened to check metacritic you would have seen Resistance getting some perfect review scores, although the average fro Resistance is lower than the average for GOW. As for game quality, give us a little more time. When KillZone proves to be as good as the E3 footage it'll blow Halo 3 right out of the water.

3. While I'll admit the use of Blu-Ray in the PS3 has been critical for Blu-Rays success, why do you think Microsoft hasn't released a 360 SKU with a built-in HD-DVD drive? Some may say they're giving people choice, but I see things differently. I believe Microsoft is scared to incorporate it because they fear the inevitable, that HD-DVD will loose to Blu-Ray.

Sorry, but the facts speak for themselves. Sony won't dominate as much over Microsoft like it did with the PS2, but it'll still have greater sales.

[Jonathan S @ May 8th 2007 5:31PM]

Well here's a critical question for you theguy (if that is your real name).

What happens when the Xbox comes with Either a BD drive, or an HD drive internal?

Currently the XBOX 360 Elite is $500 less to produce than the PS3.

MS is not stupid. I'll put money on the fact that the Elite will have a BD Or HD drive on it by Christmas, and be at the same price it is now.

AND MS won't be losing $240 per SKU.

HD games defined this next gen, BD and HD DVD had nothing to do with the games - Although I'm sure Lair will have fantastic cut scenes that take up 45gbs . . . I just hope they don't spend all their time creating those, and forget that actual gameplay matters.

Sony won't have as big a market share as MS in this current Gen console war for the following reasons:
1. MS is in a prime position to drop all console prices (including Elite) $100 before next Christmas
2. MS can add an HD drive, or BD drive at any time internal, with very little changes to anything.
3. MS has more games, and always will due to supplierer utilizing the DRM support tool that changes all games encoded for Xbox 360 into a game that will play on any Vista machine. In otherwords, for any XBOX 360 game, there is approximately a 40 million user install base.

These analysts that claim Xbox will have the smallest market share out of all three competing are just stupid, and completely wrong. Any glance at any NPD sales statistics shows this line of thought to be just plain dumb.